Caroline's ComeUppance by Tess Quinn

I feel terrible for not having written this review sooner. Actually, terrible is a mild term for how I feel about my abysmal lack of blogging so far this year, especially after working so hard last year to consistently post. There are several reviews in need of writing, but this one is the most delayed. I read Caroline's Comeuppance just after Christmas. My reviews always come out best when I write them quickly, and I'm really kicking myself for not having taken notes on all the specific points I wanted to mention. My apologies to the talented Tess Quinn, who deserves more specific feedback than my watered down reminiscences.

I love redemption tales, and this is the best attempt at making Caroline Bingley palatable I have read. It actually quite reminds me of my absolute favorite story of redemption: that of Elizabeth Elliot in the Mercy's Embrace trilogy by Laura Hile, all of which I glowingly reviewed several years ago (read my praise here, here, and here). Both stories take unlikable Austen women and place them in circumstances that force you to admire and sympathize, no matter how much animosity you might be harboring to the lady in question. Ms. Quinn deserves particular credit for elevating Miss Bingley into a full-fledged heroine while preserving all the irritating attributes with which Austen originally endowed her: no small feat.

The book's title, as well as the first half of the tale, gave me no notion that I was on a journey towards actually liking Caroline Bingley. Darcy has announced his engagement to Elizabeth, but Caroline is not ready to admit defeat. After overcoming her initial impulse to scream and sulk, she is back in the society of the loving couple, throwing herself in Mr. Darcy's way and making a fool of herself. This we've seen before, and I was wondering how, with more than half the book remaining, Caroline's seeming recognition of the futility of her attempts could possibly be true. What was the lady to do for nearly 200 pages if not behave rediculously? The answer took me entirely by surprise.

Caroline is returning form a London ball alone when her carriage comes upon a scene of espionage, and she finds herself detained by an unknown and dashing captor. Suddenly, the value of lady like Miss Bingley becomes abundantly clear. She doesn't swoon, quake with fear, or scream, like many a damsel in distress, instead becoming indignant, vengeful, and perceptive, even when bound and gaged never for a moment forsaking her dignity. In this trial the true nature of Caroline's personality becomes clear: she is a survivor, and as such, her scheming and social ambitions suddenly seem understandable. I was a entranced by her courage as the gentleman who bore witness to the sight.

Soon she is able to identify her attacker, though pride and interest keep her from betraying him. Soon the proper Miss Bingley becomes an accomplice in Sir John Ravensby intrigues, even donning britches and climbing trees to do so! The rest of the book provides a fairly believable psychological portrait of a pair of lovers existing on the fringe of society: Sir John having been an unwanted second son, and Caroline struggling against the stigma of fortune derived from trade. They are, of course, perfect for each other, and once their romance took off I could barely stand to put the book down.

I also really loved the perspective of Allen, Caroline's lady in waiting, who has an innate sympathy for her demanding mistress which only grows as the lady becomes more vulnerable. Her story provides the initial inlet into sympathizing with prickly Miss Bingley and makes the novel more rounded than it would otherwise be. I love the fact that Caroline is just as selfish and conniving at the end of the story as she was in the beginning, but with the proper man by her side, she is able to leverage her natural gifts to a higher purpose. Loved it! A great, feel-good Pride and Prejudice continuation, sure to enrapt the susceptible Janeite.

Return to Longbourn by Shannon Winslow

Now to compensate for my very paltry attempt at reviewing The Darcys of Pemberley! Return to Longbourn is the continuation to that story, taking on Mary Bennet as heroine. Let me just state up front, lest there be any confusion, that I've read my share of Mary stories, some very good, but this is by far my favorite. Shannon Winslow has remained rigidly true to Austen's original character while transforming her into a romantic heroine of the highest degree. If anyone doubts that Mary has the potential for a fairytale princess ending, let the fact that she has no less than three dashing suitors for her hand prove the point. This veritable miracle is achieved by Ms. Winslow looking not to Austen for her inspiration but Charlotte Bronte, whose influence is unmistakable in this tale of a governess.

That's right. Rather than remain a burden to her family (and perhaps just to escape them), Mary engages herself as governess to the new family residing at Netherfield: the Farnsworths. Leaving the colorful clothes and social engagements her mother forced upon her behind, she dons the subdued hues and quiet manners of the genteel servant. It's a welcome escape from notice and attention for Mary. Instead of being in the spotlight as she marches towards spinsterhood, she has guarded herself against such humiliations. Now she gets to sit and observe humanity, studying the characters of her fellow humans as assiduously as her father and sister ever did. Her observations are no longer mundane or pedantic, and following the death of Mrs. Farnsworth, she has the entire family's well-being to attend: a task for which she proves uniquely qualified.

Like the first book in this series, Return to Longbourn begins with a death: this time Mr. Bennet's. Mrs. Bennet's fear of the hedgerows is addressed by the appearance of Mr. Tristan Collins, returned from America upon learning of his inheritance, whom she quickly decides ought to marry Kitty. Kitty, fearing another Mr. Collins, flees to Pemberley to avoid him, an arrangement which proves agreeable to Mary, for Tristan in no way resembles his brother, and in his friendship she begins to experience the foundations for joy:

They were just passing the tree-lined lane for Lucas Lodge, when suddenly the clouds united over their heads, and a driving rain set full in their faces. There was only one thing to be done, to which the exigence of the moment gave more than usual propriety; it was that of running with all possible haste back the way from which they had come. Laughing, Mr. Tristan grasped Mary's hand without warning and compelled her along the road at a gallop. She held her skirt, put her head down, and raced along at his side, drawing deep draughts of the freshening air into her lungs as she went. 

On they ran in unison, stride for stride. Neither of them proved fleet-footed enough to outstrip the rain, however, and they ended huddled together on the front porch of Longbourn, soaked clean through.

Mary's long repressed and controlled emotions slowly begin to relax, increasing both her vibrancy and vulnerable. It is in this style of character development that the influence of Jane Eyre is primarily felt, though the fact that she works as a governess for a family that has a secret certainly helps. The rather one-dimensional Mary Bennet Austen gave us is totally reborn as a woman of immense passion, but I am thankful to acknowledge that when this heroine, heartbroken and guilty, flees the house of her employer, she at least remains cognizant enough to not misplace her purse. Fear no near-death scenes on frozen Moors, madwomen in the attic, or maimed heroes. Ms. Winslow doesn't stray so very far away from Austen's two inches of ivory. Had she dared, I suspect her Mary would have proven resistant to such theatrics.

I absolutely adore this rendition of Mary Bennet and have been in raptures over her for weeks. I could not put the book down until I learned her fate, which remains remarkably mysterious for the bulk of the story. Do not miss this book! Return to Longbourn is an essential read. I look forward to doing so again and again.


This is my twelfth review for The Pride and Prejudice Bicentennial Celebration 2013, hosted by Austenprose. Please see my others below:

Bluebells in the Mourning by KaraLynne Mackrory  

Pride and Platypus by Vera Nazarian 

Mr. Darcy's Little Sister vs. And This Our Life by C. Allyn Pierson 

An Unlikely Missionary by Skylar Hamilton Burris 

The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy by Regina Jeffers 

The Three Colonels by Jack Caldwell 

Pride and Prejudice (1995): Influence and Merits 

His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian 

Mr. Darcy's Refuge and Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections by Abigail Reynolds

          Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise

          The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow

The Darcys Of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow

So I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Shannon Winslow's newest novel, Return to Longbourn (which I will review next), but I wanted to read the first story in the series before embarking on it. I purchased a copy of The Darcys of Pemberley and started cruising through the story, only to suddenly realize about a third of the way through that I had read it before, in the days before I started blogging, when I consumed such a constant stream of Austenesque that some of the stories got lost in the mix. I'm sorry to say this was one (though I have my theory why it did), for it is a sweet tale and worth reading. I enjoyed the revisit.

The book begins with Mr. Collins' death (a supplementary account of which can be read in the short story, Mr. Collins's Last Super). The Darcy's have been married long enough for Elizabeth to be confident in her role as Mrs. Darcy, although some, like Lady Catherine, have still not come to grips with the fact. Love and prosperity treats former Bennets well, and both Elizabeth and Jane are reaping the daily benefits of heir marriages. The only real bane to contend with is the Wickhams, who have a tendency to assert themselves at the most inconvenient time, and the challenges we all face in married life.

The novel provides a gratifying glimpse into what life at Pemberley must have been for the Darcys: entertaining their neighbors, guiding Georgiana into society, and relishing their mutual affection. However, conflicting forces arise that threaten the harmony of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship. On Elizabeth side, there is Georgiana, who confides in her what she cannot repeat to Darcy, and on his side, there is Wickham, still adept at manipulating his former friend and capitalizing on his insecurities. The great tension of the novel derives from Wickham's machinations, and while effectively done, it is this that probably denied the book a distinct place in my memory. So many of the books I read at the time involved an evil Wickham threatening the security of Pemberley. That does not diminish what is unique in this version, but it did help it to blend with the other books in my mind.

It seems this review is going to be shorter than I'd like, but my thoughts keep straying to Return to Longbourn (my review of which I will post later this week), about which I'm much more enthusiastic. As previously stated, The Darcys of Pemberley is a sweet tale, providing lots of gratifying time in the Darcys' most felicitous company. It is also well-written while maintaining a solid pace, and I recommend it to those who never get enough of Pemberley (I'm one of them!), and as an introduction to the continuation, which is, unfortunately, stealing the thunder of its precursor. That seems a bit lukewarm, I know, but please trust it is due to the second book's triumph, rather than something lacking in the first.


This is my eleventh review for The Pride and Prejudice Bicentennial Celebration 2013, hosted by Austenprose. Please see my others below:

Bluebells in the Mourning by KaraLynne Mackrory  

Pride and Platypus by Vera Nazarian 

Mr. Darcy's Little Sister vs. And This Our Life by C. Allyn Pierson 

An Unlikely Missionary by Skylar Hamilton Burris 

The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy by Regina Jeffers 

The Three Colonels by Jack Caldwell 

Pride and Prejudice (1995): Influence and Merits 

His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian 

Mr. Darcy's Refuge and Mr. Darcy's Noble Connections by Abigail Reynolds

          Pirates and Prejudice by Kara Louise

The Watsons by Jane Austen and Another Lady by Helen Baker

It is in my long term plans to read all of Helen Baker's Austen continuations, and this relatively unknown writer has been prolific in the genre, ever since I was charmed by her continuation of Sanditon, entitled The Brothers by Jane Austen and Another Lady (read my review here). It seemed logical to proceed next to her continuation of The Watsons, especially as the only other attempt at finishing it that I have read, by Joan Aiken, I found rather unsatisfying (read my thoughts on that work here). The Watsons is a troubling fragment, the only work we have from Austen dating from her time in residence at Bath, as it is far more melancholy than her other novels. While retaining the author's distinctive tone, her usual sparkling wit is extremely muted. Unlike a later Emma, Miss Woodhouse, the circumstances in which Emma Watson finds herself are thoroughly melancholy, and in Ms. Aiken's version, they only become more intensely so. Perhaps my favorite aspect of this completion by Ms. Baker is the fact that she finds a way to rescue Emma, as well as the rest of the family, from her extreme difficulties, providing a satisfyingly happy ending to Austen's starkly dire beginning. The means by which this is accomplished is a bit sordid, relying on the controversial topic of bigamy, but as this is the only aspect in which the text strays from what I would consider appropriately Austeninian topics, I found it did not hinder my overall enjoyment of the piece.

Ms. Baker begins her story before Austen commenced, detailing the circumstances in which Emma's Aunt and longtime guardian, Mrs. Turner, looses her husband and then falls in love with the problematic Captain O'Brien, the event that results in Emma being thrust back into the bosom of her struggling family, whom she has not seen since a very young age. This is where she turns to Austen's fragment, complete and unaltered, before continuing on to finish the tale. The insertion is done very seamlessly, and I had to refer back to my copy of The Watsons to confirm where Austen ended and Ms. Baker began. She must be commended not only for capturing Austen's tone so well, but also for remaining true to the original characterizations. My one complaint in this matter is that the gentleman set up at the rogue of the piece, one Tom Musgrave, while remaining meddlesome and an overall bother, does not live up to his potential as a heart breaker. I would have liked to see him more thoroughly discredited. However, perhaps the fact that the scenario in which our heroine is placed in is already so fraught with dramatic tension made Ms. Baker decide that a thorough rogue was unneeded.

There are two choices which Austen presented as potential heroes: Lord Osborne and his former tutor and local clergy man, Mr. Howard. I very much approve of the choice between the two that Ms. Baker made. On the other hand, the manner in which she directs Elizabeth, the eldest Watson sister's, heart I felt was not supported by Austen's beginning. I would, in general, have liked to have seen more done with Elizabeth, by far the most pleasant and companionable of Emma's sisters. She deserves a more decided and prosperous fate. Also, while the fates of the characters decidedly improve in Ms. Baker's hands, the tone of the story retains the melancholia with which Austen commenced. I would love to see someone finish this story in a manner that brings it in line with Austen's other works, allowing it to not only entertain and instruct, but also amuse. Perhaps one day I will take a stab at it myself.

I very much look forward to reading the rest of Ms. Baker's books, which include The Book of Ruth (a Pride and Prejudice sequel), Connivance (a Persuasion sequel focused on Mrs. Clay), Precipitation: A Continuation of Miss Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (this one focuses on Miss Bingley), Playfulness (a Mansfield Park sequel focused on Miss Crawford), and Miss Jane Austen's Lady Susan: Revived. She has also written a variety of other books, all of which can be purchased in both paperback and pdf format from her Lulu.com storefront. Ms. Baker has agreed to do an interview with me, though I am waiting to read more of her novels before composing my questions. I urge everyone to read Ms. Baker's sadly overlooked books. They deserve far more attention than they have yet received.    

Charlotte Collins by Jennifer Becton - Review and Giveaway!

I love continuations that develop the stories of Austen's secondary characters, and I know I am far from alone in my desire to see the former Charlotte Lucas find far more happiness than life with Mr. Collins could possibly provide. Jennifer Becton provides that happier fate in her novel Charlotte Collins, which begins with the very cathartic burial of that sad excuse of masculinity, the Reverend William Collins. Though this is not a story about the Bennets, such an event not only liberates Charlotte, but also the residents of Longbourn from that "odious entail", making it just about the pleasantest funeral I have ever had the pleasure to read about. Yet this story is really not a happy one, at least not in the beginning. We begin our tale with a Charlotte almost maddeningly uptight, terribly censorious (it is hard to imagine this creature once irreverently laughed with Lizzy Bennet behind the backs of all their neighbors), and perfectly content to live a life of quiet respectability in the little cottage she rents on the edge of the Rosings estate. I admit, I felt rather disgusted with the widowed Mrs. Collins at the start of the book, though I suppose that such behavior is the inevitable result of submitting oneself to such a ridiculous man as Mr. Collins for the better part of the decade.

Relief comes in two forms: the first, an extended visit from Maria Lucas, still unmarried, very beautiful, and, in her adult form, not terribly dissimilar from the former Lydia Bennet. Though chaperoning her younger sister brings out Charlotte's most repressive qualities (not inappropriately, I should add), it also forces her to come out of mourning and rejoin the world. The second factor that pushes Charlotte out of her dour (no pun intended) state is the arrival in the neighborhood of two American gentleman. The younger, a Mr. Westfield, to all appearances a proper English gentleman (much to the shock of the neighborhood, who rather expected a barbarian), immediately becomes a source of near-obsessive interest for Maria. His chaperon and uncle, Mr. Basford, is much more in keeping with what the area's residents expected in an American: loose manners, a disregard for social propriety, and an irreverent sense of humor. Charlotte is appalled by him on their initial encounters, as in the following scene, in which the two gentlemen pay a call a the cottage:

"Shall we hace tea? Maria, ring the bell and inform Mrs. Eff that we require another pot."

Maria went obediently.

"Why do the English have such an obsession with tea?" asked Mr. Basford, still leaning precariously on the back legs of the chair. "It is nothing but a few died leaves after all."

Charlotte studied him. "Indeed, your censure is unwarranted, for I have heard that Americans are quite mad for the stuff as well. Particularly in Boston, I believe."

Charlotte was pleased with her retort, and so was Mr. Basford, who leaned his head back, causing the chair to tilt even further, and laughed heartily.

"She has you there, Uncle."

"Yes, indeed, she does."

"Mr. Basford seems to believe that the customs of our country are quite stilted and unnecessary," Charlotte said to Mr. Westfield.

"I confess that I do," Mr. Basford replied, letting the front legs of the chair return to the ground. "Take for instance the custom of calling people by their family names. I've seen close friends referring to each other as Mr. or Mrs. Whatnot, It's rediculous."

"In your opinion, perhaps, Mr. Basford. I have never called social acquaintances by their first names unless I have known them since childhood. It is too familiar and uncomfortable."       


"That is only because you have not practiced. Call me Ben, and you'll soon see how nice familarity is."


Charlotte looked at him with horror. "Indeed, I will not! That sort of familiarity is only permitted in private moments between married couples, and perhaps not even then!"


He spoke as if she had not. "And I'll call you Charlotte."


"Indeed you shall not! she objected, leaning forward as though to apprehend his words.


Mr. Westfield came to her rescue. "Uncle, do stop tormenting Mrs. Collins." He turned to Charlotte. "He is still reacting to your tea comment. He does not like to be bested in a battle of wits."


Regaining her composure somewhat, Charlotte asked Mr. Westfield, "Are all people in America this informal?"


"No. In truth, the rules of propriety are somewhat relaxed in our country, but many of us are almost as formal as you. However, Uncle believes strongly in informality and fancies himself ahead of his time."


"Someone ought to tell him that it will do him no good to be ahead of his time if he is rejected by society in the present. He will have no acquaintances to speak of and even fewer friends."


"You are probably correct," Mr. Basford said conversationally. "I care nothing for mere acquaintances, but a true friend will accept my eccentricities, Mrs. Collins."


He emphasized her name, causing Charlotte to flush. "With such appalling manners, it is unlikely that you will ever develop true friends, Mr. Basford." She emphasized his last name in the same manner.

Now such animosity on Charlotte's part is a clear signal to every observant reader that here is precisely the man to cure her of an overdose of propriety. Unfortunately, she must first learn the hard way that not even the most rigid defense against social misstep is a guarantee of that very respectability she clings to so desperately.

I only have one complaint about this novel and that is a slight inconsistency in the social censure dolled out by Charlotte's neighbors. Maria, like her sister, must learn to better guard her behavior, and receives the cold shoulder from all her former friends upon rejecting a very eligible marriage proposal in a rather unfeeling manner. I thought the reaction was rather severe, especially as the gentleman in question fails to receive his share of blame for publicizing the incident so very widely. My discomfort with this episode increased when Maria, in an attempt to make amends, sends him a letter of apology - a definitively compromising action in Regency society between a man and woman not engaged. However, despite this one, really very minor, criticism, the story is highly engaging and a thoroughly sweet tale of regeneration for the long suffering Charlotte Collins. Though she has clearly brought her fate upon herself, all of us who know and love her will be delighted to see her find the happiness she so clearly deserves.

Enter the giveaway! Ms. Becton has been so kind as to offer my US readers a signed copy of her novel. The giveaway was first announced last Sunday when I posted my interview with the author (read it here), and will continue through Sunday, November 28th. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post or on the interview (or both, for two chances to win!), including your email address, by midnight, EST of the final day of entry. Good luck to all who participate!

Interview with Jennifer Becton, author of Charlotte Collins, plus a giveaway!

Not only did I recently read Jennifer Becton's Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (which I will be reviewing this week, so stay tuned!), but I also got to know the lady a bit through an email exchange regarding the joys and sorrows of self-publishing. The happy offshoot of this was Miss Becton's agreement to not only answer my questions regarding her novel, but also to allow me to post them in the form of an interview! Furthermore, her generosity has extended to you, dear readers, to whom she offers a copy of her novel. See the bottom of the post for more details on how to enter the giveaway. In the meantime, enjoy the interview!

Welcome to First Impressions, Jennifer, and thanks for agreeing to the interview! When did you first discover Jane Austen?

My love for Austen began with BBC/A&E’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which I watched in my college dorm room between bouts of study. Upon its completion, I immediately bought and read as much Austen as I could. I had finally found my literary idol: a woman whose work had endured for almost 200 years and didn’t end tragically.

Is Pride and Prejudice your favorite Austen novel? If so, why?

I do enjoy Pride and Prejudice a great deal, but I also like Persuasion. I adore the characters of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth was surrounded by such amusing companions, and I felt as if I knew them by the end of the novel. But I am drawn more to the redemption plot of Persuasion. I love that Austen gave Anne Elliot the opportunity to redeem herself and make the choice she hadn’t been brave enough to make earlier.

Persuasion is my favorite! Understand you have a background in editing. Did you always want to be a writer, or was this career path the result of your experiences as an editor?

From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with books in some capacity. I was that nerdy kid who actually liked learning grammar and writing essays, but writing a novel seemed like a fantasy, not a real potential for the future. After college, I chose to focus on editing, and I got a job at a local publishing company. Eventually, I began to freelance, and I occasionally wrote nonfiction articles for magazines, but writing a novel was still my dream. After one failed attempt, I decided to try again, and Charlotte Collins was born.

It is always gratifying to converse with another book geek. What inspired you to write a continuation of Pride and Prejudice focused on Charlotte Collins?

Traditionally, Austen sequels have focused on Darcy and Elizabeth, and while I certainly enjoy reading the retellings and what-if scenarios, I couldn’t stop wondering what happened to poor Charlotte. What had become of her? Was she happy with Mr. Collins? I couldn’t imagine that she would be, so I decided to write her continuing story so that she might have a hopeful, bright future like her friend Elizabeth.

You present an adult Maria Lucas in your book, a character who Austen barely develops. What details from Pride and Prejudice influenced your portrayal of Maria?

As you said, Austen provided very few details about Maria, so I had to begin with what she gave us: “good humoured,” “empty-headed,” “had nothing to say that could be worth hearing,” and was intimidated and easily influenced by wealthy characters. I tried to be true to this characterization but also allow her to mature somewhat. But even with the benefit of years, I didn’t imagine that she would become a great intellect or make choices based on a great deal of deep thought, so in my novel, she always took the easiest path available.

A major theme in Charlotte Collins is, as Maria puts it puts it (paraphrasing Mary Bennet), "Our reputation is truly all we have, and we must guard it jealously and give no one cause to speak ill of us." Of course, when Mary expresses this notion she is mocked, yet the sentiment is rather poignant in light of the events of Pride and Prejudice. What made you choose Charlotte Collins as an appropriate character to illustrate this point?

Charlotte was, in my view, the ideal character to exemplify this reality. In Pride and Prejudice, she did everything that was expected of her. She obeyed society’s rules, and she banked on the fact that she would have a comfortable life as a result. What would happen if her adherence to these norms did not result in the expected outcome? She had already discovered that marriage for security might not be the best choice, what would happen if she lost her reputation as well? I wondered these things, so that’s what I wrote.

Another theme you develop is the former Charlotte Lucas’ very pragmatic perspective on marriage. In Pride and Prejudice she says, “I am not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins' character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.” By the time of your story, her opinions on the matter have changed rather dramatically, yet you still portray another marriage that follows the model she formerly subscribed to. Do you believe, despite your depiction of Charlotte’s unhappiness with Mr. Collins, that her former feelings represent a realistic and pragmatic perspective, especially considering the realities of the era, or do you feel that the marriage of convenience you describe is doomed to failure?

My decision to have Maria follow in Charlotte’s footsteps and opt for a marriage of convenience was quite deliberate. Charlotte’s views on marriage were certainly representative of the prevailing views of the day, and the pressures of culture cannot always be as easily borne as Elizabeth Bennet seemed to bear them. Even if Maria desperately wanted to marry for love, women simply did not have the same freedoms as modern females or even the wealthy daughters of her day. In addition, even though I enjoy happy endings, I dislike books where every plot is neatly wrapped up with a bow on top. It would have been easy to have Maria fall in love with her husband in the last few pages, but it wouldn’t be realistic. She wasn’t at that point by the end of the novel. On Black Friday, I’ll be releasing a free short story that tells what happens to Maria next.

I can't wait to read it! Two American gentleman take center stage in Charlotte Collins as the potential love interests of both Charlotte and Maria. Several characters in the book express their beliefs in the unrefined and nonconforming nature of Americans, Charlotte included. Did you choose to emphasise this point as a foil to Charlotte’s rather starchy perspective, or was it being American yourself that compelled you to incorporate representatives of our country into your tale?

The decision to incorporate Americans into my novel was multifaceted. I did want to provide a foil for the traditional British views that Charlotte espoused, but I also felt a bit odd writing a book completely outside my nationality and culture, though my heritage is strongly British. I had not settled on making the uncle and nephew American, however, until I read some amusing primary source material about American customs during this time period. Then, I found I could not resist.

I understand you are now working on another continuation of Pride and Prejudice, this time focused on Caroline Bingley. What made you choose Elizabeth’s nemesis (if I may term her so) as the subject for a book, and is it your intention to redeem her character?

I chose Caroline Bingley for the same reason I chose Charlotte Collins as the subject of a book: I wanted to know what happened to her next. I have no intention of explaining away the nefarious deeds she undertook in Pride and Prejudice; there is no doubt that she was the villainess of the novel. Instead, I want to follow her as she undertook life without Mr. Darcy, the gentleman she clearly intended to marry. She may not make the best heroine, but she might make an interesting anti-heroine.

Do you have plans for any Austen inspired novels that are not based on Pride and Prejudice, or, if not, are there other secondary characters from this most famous of Austen’s novels that you wish to take on?

Apart from Charlotte Collins and my next novel featuring Caroline Bingley, I do not currently have plans for more Austen sequels, but I’ll still be writing. I’m working on a mystery series, the first of which I hope to release next year, and coauthoring a nonfiction book about overcoming horseback riding fear with Laura Daley. Please visit my website (www.jenniferbecton.com) and blog (jenniferbecton.blogspot.com) for more information and to learn more about Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Thank you again, Jennifer, for sharing your insights with my readers!

Thank you, Alexa, for taking the time to read and review my book. I really appreciate it, and though I don’t do reviews on my blog, I’ll be plugging your book in my next post.

I look forward to it!


Giveaway Details: Leave a comment including your email address before Monday, November 29th for your chance to win! Sorry, but the giveaway is limited to residents of the United States only (postage is expensive!). For a second chance to win, be sure leave a comment on my review of Charlotte Collins when it posts this week. Good luck!

Product Description:  "When Charlotte Lucas married Mr. Collins in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, she believed herself to be fortunate indeed. Her nuptials gained her a comfortable home and financial security. If she acquired these things at the expense of true love, it did not matter one whit. To Charlotte, love in marriage was nothing more than a pleasant coincidence.

As the years of her marriage dragged by, Charlotte began to question her idea of love as she suffered continual embarrassment at her husband's simpering and fawning manners. When Mr. Collins dies, finally relieving everyone of his tedious conversation, she must work feverishly to secure her income and home. She gives no further thought to the prospect of love until her flighty sister Maria begs her to act as her chaperone in place of their ailing parents. Hoping to prevent Maria from also entering an unhappy union, Charlotte agrees, and they are quickly thrust into a world of country dances, dinner parties, and marriageable gentlemen.

But when an unprincipled gentleman compromises Charlotte's reputation, her romantic thoughts disappear at the prospect of losing her independence. As she struggles to extricate herself from her slander, her situation reveals both the nature of each gentleman and of true love." 

More Sanditon Completions: Charlotte & The Brothers

I have just finished reading Jane Austen's Charlotte by Julia Barrett and The Brothers by Jane Austen and Another Lady by Helen Baker, the two Sanditon completions I promised to read in my review of Sanditon by Jane Austen and Another Lady. I continue to consider the latter the definitive completion of Austen's last novel. Though both Ms. Barrett and Ms. Baker's attempts are enjoyable, neither are such impeccable imitators of Austen's style as Another Lady.

I found, for the most part, Helen Baker's The Brothers (Austen's working title for the novel) perfectly delightful. For the most part, Ms. Baker develops Austen's characters in a very similar manner to Another Lady, but she dwells on subjects which seem out of place in Austen. Most particularly, she excessively emphasizes the difficulties of Miss Lamb's social status as a mulatto, which was referenced in such a way as to make me pretty uncomfortable. Mrs. Parker acts as the representative of these sentiments, making some blatantly racist remarks. These might be appropriate to the era, but I have a hard time excusing them, especially when they are unnecessary to the plot and in a modern book (copyright 2009). I do not think Ms. Baker intended anything other than an exploration of period perspectives on race, an issue frequently raised in all forms of Austen related media, from JAFF to criticism, due to those oblique references to slavery in Mansfield Park. However, well-intended though she may be, Ms. Baker only succeeds in offending, adding nothing constructive to her plot in the process.

This disagreeable aspect aside, I can reassert my claim that the book is perfectly delightful. Ms. Baker inserts another chapter into Austen's beginning, in which Charlotte Heywood writes to her sister, as a means of introducing the rest of her plot. Charlotte and Sidney Parker become co-conspirators in this book, protecting the young ladies of Sanditon from that wannabe Lovelace, Sir Edward Denham. I particular liked Ms. Baker's rendition of Esther Denham, which is the most sympathetic portrayal of the lady I have come across. Everyone gets what they deserve in this happy tale. Charlotte is an artist, and as she parts from Mr. and Mrs. Parker she gives them a caricature of the entire family, which perfectly captures the characters as Austen created them:

"Upon my soul, you have observed us well," commented her host as he laughed at the antics of his brothers and sisters. "There is Diana winding a second scarf around Arthur, while he snatches another tart from the table behind her back."


"I am trying to stop Susan dosing little Mary and tipping some of her drops out of the nursery window, while snatching up Baby with the boys clinging to my skirts," laughed his wife. "Meanwhile you, my dear, are inspecting your plans for the construction of an improved Royal Pavilion at Sanditon - well really! But what is Sidney doing - oh Charlotte! He will never forgive this." High above Sanditon, sitting on a cloud, a smiling Sidney Parker pulled on the tangled strings of his brothers and sisters, like a demented puppeteer.

Ms. Baker has written several other Austen continuations/sequels which I am now very anxious to read: Precipitation: A Continuation of Miss Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The Book of Ruth (about Mary and Kitty Bennet's search for husbands), Connivance (a Persuasion sequel), The Watsons by Jane Austen and Another Lady, and Playfulness (a Mansfield Park sequel focused on Mary Crawford). All are available for download (at a price) at Lulu.com.

Ms. Barrett's Charlotte is a more ambitious work than The Brothers - probably too ambitious. There is simply too much happening, far too quickly. She introduces many new characters, including one of some renown. As she says in the preface:

In these pages, Sir Edward Denham quotes the poetry of Charlotte Smith. She was a Sussex-born novelist and poet, admired by Sir Walter Scott, who wrote a brief biography of her. Jane Austen knew her work, and I have taken the liberty here of characterizing her as Emmeline Turner.

Now, I am not an expert on Charlotte Smith, having only studied some of her poetry in college, but I do know she was long dead when Austen was writing Sanditon and did not live the lifestyle Ms. Barrett provides Emmeline Turner. She becomes friends with Charlotte, who leaves Sanditon with her to enjoy the pleasures of London. Simultaneously, the fortunes of the small spa town are fluctuating rapidly, with smugglers lurking on the shore and fashionable Corinthians establishing a race track. The chronology is awkward, and there are some historical issues I noticed, like Lady Denham entering the dinning room first in her own house  and women being members of Brooke's. Still, the story is a wildly different take on the fragment than any other I have read, which makes it very interesting. I would have enjoyed it much more had Ms. Barrett not written such flourishing prose, which frequently obscured her meaning. She does a far better job of miming Austen in another entertaining book, Presumption, about Georgiana Darcy.

My favorite part of Charlotte was the opening of chapter thirty three, where she beautifully captures the essence of a great Austen hero:

Susceptible young men, however vexed by a violent passion, will rarely be possessed by it. It is the clear-minded, those in command of their persons, who by resistance to love's frequent allures, exhibit true strength of character. A pledge from one of these reticents is the more intense, if finally obtained, and certainly most to be valued.

This might be the best depiction of what makes an Austen hero so very special that I have read. As I said before, Ms. Barrett's book is extremely ambitious and there are parts which positively shine, but as a whole her attempt at completing this book just doesn't quite work; the story has more potential than is achieved.

I haven't read Ms. Barrett's The Third Sister, about Margaret Dashwood, but I probably will at some point.

Sanditon by Jane Austen and "Another Lady"

I had a lovely week By the Seaside with Sanditon, hosted by Laurel Ann of Austenprose, rereading this precious fragment - Austen's last, incomplete novel. Not content to let the tale end on one of my favorite lines in Austen ("Poor Mr. Hollis! lt was impossible not to feel him hardly used: to be obliged to stand back in his own house and see the best place by the fire constantly occupied by Sir Henry Denham."), I continued reading my favorite of the two completions I own, that by "Another Lady". One of the joys of By The Seaside with Sanditon was learning the name of our anonymous authoress - Marie Dobbs, also known as Anne Telscombe - but as I do not know if either of these are real names or both pseudonyms, I am going to continue referring to her as Another Lady. This version seamlessly picks up where Austen abandoned us. So flawless is Another Lady's adoption of Austen's style that she has fooled many an expert, including myself (if I dare claim myself as such) and The University of Virginia Library Systems' Electronic Text Center, who mistakenly posted this version of the completed novel instead of Austen's fragment (another discovery uncovered during By the Seaside with Sanditon). This completion was the first piece of Austen fan fiction I ever read, thus the inspiration for a considerable obsession, and it remains my absolute favorite.

There is only one complaint I have about this book and that regards Another Lady's development of Mrs. Parker, as I believe it exceeds the bounds of her promise, but every other character (and she only introduces two not named by Austen, Sidney Parker's friends Henry Brudenall and Reginald Catton) perfectly conform to the identities originally designated to them. Charlotte Heywood comes alive, every jot the practical young heroine, and Sidney Parker, the hero Austen left so very undeveloped, is utterly charming, quite in the manner of Mr. Tilney, with a bit of Frank Churchill mixed in. Another Lady's ability to weave all the loose ends into a complex, highly amusing, and thoroughly satisfying novel astounds me. Take this piece of dialogue:

"Oh sensible, prudent Miss Heywood, how very correct in you to rebuke me," said he, very much amused. "You are already so well acquainted with my family that I had forgotten how short a while we have known each other. I should, of course, have waited at least a month before trying to compare our opinions on all my relations."

"I very much doubt that a month would bring any great change in my outlook," replied Charlotte, quite firmly. "Very few of us lack superficial faults and we must rely on each other's kindness to overlook them."

"But people take such trouble with their faults and go to such lengths to make them fascinating to others that it is really very unkind to overlook them," protested Sidney. "They would much rather be laughed at on their own merits than politely ignored as members of a community."

Now is that not quintessential Austen? Another Lady fulfills my utmost fantasies, allowing me to suspend reality and pretend for a moment that here, indeed, is another complete Austen novel. Yes, as Laurel Ann so rightly pointed out, the end does get rather silly, but even the slightly ludicrous scenario our heroine finds herself in holds me completely captive (and highly amused). Note the following passage, in which Another Lady gives voices to the Miss Beauforts, who Austen tells us "were very accomplished and very ignorant, their time being divided between such pursuits as might attract admiration, and those labours and expedients of dexterous ingenuity by which they could dress in a style much beyond what they ought to have afforded." These ladies, having ignored Miss Heywood previously, seek her out in hopes she will introduce them to the new gentlemen in town:

"We have been longing this age -- oh, quite aching, I assure you, dear Miss Heywood -- for some chance of furthering our acquaintance with you. We have been making the most delightful schemes for days past. But there! We both have the greatest horror of being thought forward or pushing! It is amazingly difficult for us to get to know anybody at all."

"Sanditon is a most charming place, we find -- perhaps a little thin of company. But more people are beginning to arrive now, I dare say. The hotel seems to be filling up at all events ..."

"Oh! I am dotingly fond of Sanditon already in spite of it being a little secluded," interrupted Miss Beaufort, feeling her sister was being a shade premature. "My particular friend, Miss Nicholls, a dear creature and most truly modish, tells me there is far more going on in Ramsgate. There one sees new faces every day -- but here the stranger is quite a rarity."

"Lord yes, I always say these small, retired places are infinitely to be preferred to the bustling, popular resorts," agreed Miss Letitia. "When one comes from a largish inland town, one longs only for solitude in a seaside retreat. I must declare the view from our balcony quite delights us. Not a soul to be seen on the beach for hours at a time."

"Oh yes, we both rave about the peace -- about the generally deserted air of Sanditon. Within a few days one knows virtually every face in the district -- "

"Exactly. So I really could not help exclaiming to Lydia the other morning when I saw -- nothing beyond the merest glimpse really, you know -- two, no less than two, complete strangers."

"Ah! now you mention it, Letitia, I do remember them. They seem to be putting up at the hotel -- some connection with the Parkers I did overhear -- most genteel-looking young men, both of them so excessively well-dressed."

"The sort of people, one would imagine, more likely to be found patronising Brighton rather than Sanditon."

Their blatant shallowness and insincerity seems so authentically Austen, very much in the style of what one would imagine of the Miss Steeles, had they greater affluence.

Another Lady is more than your average Austen fan fiction writer - she has meticulously studied Austen's style and thought deeply about her appeal. At the end of Sanditon she writes "An Apology from the Collaborator" in which she states:

Ever increasing numbers, seeking to escape the shoddy values and cheap garishness of our age, are turning to Jane Austen's novels to catch glimpses of life in what appear to be far more leisured times.

Like Mr Woodhouse, we enjoy the company of these old friends best; and though we prefer their actual company to second-hand discussions and speculations about them, anything concerning them will always hold a fascination for us.

No, this isn't Miss Austen's hand at work, finishing the story that torments her devotees with its potential, but I think it's as good as we're likely to get. I have also read Juliet Shapiro's completion, which was interesting but not nearly as satisfying. Laurel Ann wrapped up By the Seaside with Sanditon by listing some of the fan fiction available for this book, and in response I have ordered two more completions: The Brothers (which was Austen's original title for the work) by Jane Austen and (yet) Another Lady, Helen Baker, and Jane Austen's Charlotte by Julia Barrett, author of Presumption, the first Austen sequel I ever read. Of course, I will share my thoughts on these versions as I read them, but today it was oh so pleasant to spend time with this dear friend: a beloved book that sits on my shelf next to Austen's six novels, as close as anything has ever come to reviving her long lost voice. Can I possibly rave more?